The present invention relates to a material testing system capable of applying loads to a test specimen. More particularly, the invention relates to a testing system that utilizes a magnetic force to substantially prevent the specimen from rotating while the load is applied to it.
Various physical properties of materials may be tested. In the field of elastomeric materials, such physical properties may include, shear strain, tensile strength, elongation, compressive strain, among others. In the testing of each particular property, it is beneficial to isolate the forces applied to the test specimen so that only the desired force or forces are being applied to the test specimen. For example, if the shear properties of a specimen were being tested, it would be undesirable to apply an unknown elongation force to the specimen during the shear testing.
The same is true of tensile and compressive testing of a test specimen. It has come to the attention that during the tensile or compression testing of a test specimen, at times the specimen may unintentionally rotate or twist. This rotation of the test specimen introduces an undesirable variable into the test results. Therefore, there is a need to develop a testing apparatus and a test method which will isolate the test specimen, such that unintended forces do not interfere with the physical property testing being conducted.